The standard telephone plug in the U.S. typically referred to as an “RJ-11” plug, plugs directly into a receiving wall jack, also called a “socket,” that matches its size and shape. This is also commonly done with computer networking cables, such as ethernet cables, which use a standard plug called the “RJ-45,” which is similar in shape and function to the RJ-11 plug, but slightly larger.
FIG. 1 shows an RJ-11 jack, viewed looking into the socket. This jack is of a standard size and shape worldwide, made to receive an RJ-11 plug. The jack accommodates six wire connectors 40, toward the top of the socket, used to transmit data and/or voice communication. Although not important for the invention, in typical use, the RJ-11 uses only the central four or two of these connectors. The RJ-11 standard telephone plug is used in the figures and description for ease of understanding. This should not imply that the invention is limited to any one type of standard plug. The cable plug connector of the present invention can be constructed to accommodate and utilize any standard telephone or networking plug, such as the common RJ-11, RJ-12, and RJ-45 plugs. FIG. 2 shows an RJ-11 plug, with wire connectors 40 on the bottom of the plug, ready for insertion into a jack. The plug has a clip 42 that holds the plug in the jack once inserted. It is manually operated by pressing on an arm 44 connected to the clip, while pulling the plug out of the jack.
In the standard configuration of these attachments, the plug of the telephone cable or networking cable is attached to the wall jack, perpendicular to the surface of the wall, much like a standard two or three-pronged electrical plug and socket. This leaves the plug and its attached cable at risk for damage from furniture or other causes, such as jarring by people or pets.
This problem has been solved in the field of electrical plugs, by reshaping the plug, such that the cable protrudes from the side of the plug, parallel to the wall, rather than perpendicular to the wall. Thus, the electrical wire inside the plug, or the prongs of the plug itself, bend at a ninety-degree angle from where the prongs are inserted into the wall socket. This type of electrical plug is commonly commercially available and widely used. An example of this configuration is represented in U.S. Pat. No. 4,857,013 to Peters. Similarly, U.S. Design Patent D375,291 to Cheung shows a hinged electrical plug that can work in a similar fashion. Using this arrangement, the electrical wire can be pressed roughly flat against the wall, thereby protecting it from bending, jarring, or damage, and the prongs of the plug still insert into the socket in the normal fashion. No alteration to the socket itself is required.
An additional problem with plugging telephone cables or other cables directly into a wall jack is that only a single plug can be inserted into each jack at once. The one-plug-one-jack problem for common telephone plugs has been solved by the use of a splitter or “duplex” or “T-connector” attachment. FIG. 3 shows a commonly commercially available splitter, which has two RJ-11 jacks 46 side-by-side in a single housing 48. On the opposite side of the splitter is a single RJ-11 plug 50. This plug 50 is shown on the figure, opposite the jacks 46. The angle between the plug and jacks is essentially one-hundred-eighty degrees; that is, the plug and jacks are in a line so that they would be perpendicular to a wall when plugged into a wall jack.
More than one plug can be inserted into the splitter, into standard size jacks in a housing. These jacks are connected electrically to a single, standard sized plug, which protrudes from the housing on the opposite side, in a line away from the jacks. This single plug is then plugged into the wall outlet's jack. The signals from the wall outlet are “split” between the jacks, such that all jacks share the same signal. This type of splitter is commonly commercially available and in wide use to connect two telephone plugs into one jack. An analogous splitter is commonly commercially used for electrical plugs as well. There are available splitters for electrical outlets, allowing more than one plug to be used per wall socket.
Solutions to these problems have not been incorporated into a single apparatus, nor has the damage problem been solved for telephone or similar plugs and cables.
The following represents a list of known related art:                U.S. Pat. No. 4,857,013, issued to Peters, Aug. 15, 1989;        U.S. Design Pat. D375,291, issued to Cheung, Nov. 5, 1996.        
The teachings of each of the above-listed citations (which does not itself incorporate essential material by reference) are herein incorporated by reference. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
While the foregoing body of art indicates it to be well known to have a, the art described above does not teach or suggest a cable plug connector which has the following combination of desirable features, including: (1) it allows for the telephone plug and attached cable to be installed into a wall jack at an angle such that it is not perpendicular to the wall, and can lie flat or almost flat against the wall; (2) protects the cable and plug from jarring and damage from being hit by objects; (3) makes connection and disconnection of cables into wall jacks behind large objects, such as furniture, easier; (4) allows furniture and other large objects to be placed closer to walls; and (5) allows more than one cable to be connected to a wall jack.